Nineteen days after Shelby County Texas suffered its fifth loss to the Vietnam War, Jerry Lynn Hughes became the sixth. He was drafted into the US Army in May, 1966 at the age of 20. He took his basic training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

His tour in Vietnam began on Sunday, November 20th, 1966 with B (Bravo) Company of the 1st Platoon, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. His unit was also known as the “Red Warriors” with the motto “Steadfast and Loyal”. Sergeant Hughes’ military occupation specialty (MOS) was 11D40, Armor Reconnaissance Specialist (Scout).

The Red Warriors website describes the events of Wednesday, July 12, 1967, “The day begins with Alpha Company guarding the fire support base. Both Bravo (Sgt. Hughes’ company) and Charlie Companies are in their fog-covered company patrol bases and after sending in their respective strength reports (Bravo-65 and Charlie-75), are instructed by battalion to remain in place and sweep their patrol base areas with platoon-sized patrols. At about 0830 Charlie Company’s 2nd Platoon under-strength patrol makes contact with a small enemy force of 10 soldiers, killing three and driving off the rest. By 0930 the first serious small arms fire begins to crackle as both companies begin calling for mortar and artillery fire. Within an hour, all are alerted to stand-by for a combat assault into the battle site. At approximately 1130 hours, an estimated North Vietnamese Army regiment attacks Bravo Company in force, while a smaller enemy force keeps Charlie Company in place, preventing them from coming to the aid of Bravo Company”.

This battle in the Ia Drang Valley, Pleiku Province, South Vietnam is the single most horrific and for the Red Warriors the costliest encounter. There are 30 KIA’s as Bravo and Charlie Companies are caught in the grips of an NVA trap. Bravo takes the major brunt of the battle, and their 3rd platoon is nearly wiped out. The battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Corey Wright is quoted as say that “the outnumbered company gave a magnificent account of themselves, killing 110 of the enemy troops”. Sergeant Jerry Lynn Hughes was killed in this battle five days before his 21st birthday. For his bravery and heroism in ground combat that day he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V device for Valor.

Jerry Hughes was born in Center, Texas on Wednesday, July 17th, 1946. His parents were Tracy Hughes (1909 – 2013) and Opal Dale Bradshaw Hughes (1920 – 2013). He was a 1965 graduate of Center High School. His sister Virginia Campbell was kind enough to furnish me the following about her brother:

“I appreciate your interest in writing about the Vietnam Memorial and the men who fought so valiantly and gave their lives for our freedom. Jerry Lynn Hughes was my brother, the 6th child in a family of 7 children. Greatly loved by all of us, he had a quiet, sweet and helpful personality, and he loved the simple things in life. He loved going over to a little store in the Short community near our home, and playing dominoes with a few friends there on Friday nights. I have many memories of him coming home on Friday nights, sitting down in a yellow rocking chair we owned, and picking up his guitar and playing in a quiet house where everyone was sleeping but him. Mom mentioned those memories several times. Jerry was friends with several of the other boys killed in Vietnam. The Andrews boy, we called him Shorty, and Larry Byford were family friends. I can tell you of a compassionate, hardworking young man who loved hunting and had a very real love for dogs. He would frequently bring home stray dogs he found that were hungry and beg Dad to let us keep them. He had hopes and dreams of buying a new car after the war. What can I say about him? Only that he was an amazing young man that was loved and cared for by a very large, close knit family and we have missed him all these years. He was drafted into an unpopular war, but he believed in why he was there, fighting for us to live in a world where freedom mattered. He wrote many letters to me about the villages and how the people and children were forced to eat dogs and anything they could to stay alive. We loved him so much. I can tell you about a mother and dad who were so in tune with what their son was going through, that on the morning of what turned out to be the battle my brother was killed in, I awoke to the TV telling the location of a battle along the Cambodian border, that involved his 4th Division. My mom began to cry and made a statement, that's my sons platoon, his company, and a deep sadness fell over our house for the coming week. Even though they did not announce the exact platoon and group that was involved, Mom seemed to have a direct sense of knowledge, from God, for from that day on…she said my son was in that battle…and there were no survivors. I remember the sense of impending doom over our family that week…for Mom knew that families were notified on Saturday mornings….and she made a statement to me that Saturday morning. As she set up her ironing board and began to iron clothes, I laid down across the bed in the bedroom where she was ironing and I was looking out the window. She said to me, they are late today, I asked who? She said, the army….they have usually notified everyone by 12 o'clock of the deaths, and it is now 1:30 p.m. I remember saying, "mom maybe that means he's still alive!" When I uttered those words, I will always remember the sight of the green army car pulling down our driveway to our house, and the sight of my mom calmly rushing to the front door and as the 2 army men were walking down our driveway…..my Mom saying, with tears in her eyes, "you've come to tell me my son is dead". Also, the sight of the two men from the army, with bowed faces saying, "yes, ma'm." So, that day marked a day our families were forever changed, but for me personally, it marked a time when a loving God spoke to a mother’s heart, and prepared her for a tragedy that was of the worst kind. I really can't remember a time in my life where I ever doubted that my mom and dad knew God. They taught us to pray, to believe, but I can tell you that after Jerry's death, our family became strong. Yes, we have faced numerous other tragedies and heartaches in life, but this was a turning point for us. We became a strong family, even our extended family, who knew God and loved each other. My mom had to live to see 3 of her 7 children buried. One in war, one in a tragic car accident, and one with cancer. She also buried her husband of 67 years, her love. So our story is one that began with an unpopular war, and the loss of our beloved son and brother. But it ends with a story of a family who persevered through war and death. Thank you so much for remembering my beloved brother, and allowing me to tell you what a wonderful son and brother he was to us all, and how, through his life and death, it gives us hope and knowledge that we will all meet again someday, when God calls us all home. God bless you in your work and writings, and again, thank you for remembering…………Sincerely, Virginia Hughes Campbell

Clarence Christian, a lifelong and dear friend of Jerry’s posted this in 2002 “Jerry and I went to the army at the same time. He left for Viet Nam and I went to Ft. Lewis. In July I got my orders for Viet Nam. While on leave I was notified that he had been killed. I went to his funeral and left for Viet Nam that day.”

Jerry was a true American hero, just doing what he country asked of him “Welcome Home Brother”.